Trunox launches novel robust ad lib pig trough
The Danish trough manufacturing company Trunox has designed a new trough for finishers. It has the same qualities as a stainless steel trough, but the price is 25-30% lower.
The company was capable of lowering this price by using high quality PVC materials and concrete next to only stainless steel, which has reached unprecedented heights in the recent years. This has led to sky-high prices for ad lib feeding troughs too.
Since reducing stainless steel thickness could go at the expense of durability, the Danish company therefore endeavoured to make a new trough type, just as strong and durable as a stainless steel ones, but at the cost of only about 70-75% of stainless steel prices.
The trough is PCT-patented in both Europe and Russia.
Plastic, stainless steel, concrete
Villy Sørensen, manager at Trunox, came up with the idea of producing a trough in plastic, reinforcing it with stainless steel on the edges and the ends where the animals can get to it, and stabilising it with a supporting base plate or foot in polymer concrete.
To make sure he got the best design and materials, he discussed the idea with several knowledgeable people. The design had to be functional but also easy to install and clean.
PVC plate
The trough is made by a 6 mm thick PVC plate. It is supported with two stainless steel tubes, protecting the edges of the trough. This design has proven to be sufficient to cope with the wear and manipulation of the finishers. The plastic troughs can be produced in lengths up to 11.80 m.
Plastic has not often been used in troughs before as plastic often contracts or enlarges depending on the temperature. The PVC in the new trough can also do this, about 2 cm per 5 m. This, however, has been taken into account by making a flexible construction, and troughs are always a couple of cm shorter than the pen’s length. Expansion is thus possible if temperatures are high.
Easy to transport
The Trunox troughs were recently sold to a large pig farm project in Eastern Europe. Where usually about 13 containers of troughs would’ve been needed, now this came down to two containers, making the trough very competitive in price.
Trunox sells from Denmark to dealers – not directly to farmers. (by Anja Pernille Jacobsen, freelance journalist)
Related website:
• Trunox
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